Main Street Reopened Following Bomb Scare [Updated]

Main Street in downtown Hellertown reopened and evacuated residents returned home late Wednesday night. The Bethlehem bomb squad had been on scene to investigate a suspicious item discovered Wednesday evening.

A bomb scare in downtown Hellertown late Wednesday night closed a portion of Main Street and evacuated area residents. As of 11 p.m., the Bethlehem Hazardous Device Unit cleared the scene, following the discovery of a suspicious package near Main and Durham streets Wednesday evening. Evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes and traffic began flowing freely on Main Street. What an alert Hellertown Patch reader and local resident described Wednesday evening as a "bomb scare" in the 400 block of Main Street was confirmed by borough police as a tactical response to a suspicious package. As of 10:30 p.m., the Bethlehem Hazardous Device Unit was on-scene and Main Street in Hellertown remained closed north of Walnut Street, with …

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5 Places to Watch Super Bowl XLVII in Saucon Valley

The Baltimore Ravens face off against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Feb. 3.

This Sunday the Baltimore Ravens will meet the San Francisco 49ers for Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. But chances are, you won't be taking a trip to see the game in person. So go with the next best thing: Watching it on big-screen TVs with good food and good company in the Saucon Valley area. Here's a look at some great local options for places to catch the Super Bowl this Sunday: Where will you be watching the Super Bowl this weekend?

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Braveheart Fall Festival Planned for Sunday

The first Braveheart Fall Festival will be held inside and outside at Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant, 430 Main St., Hellertown.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated. An earlier published version indicated that the festival will take place Saturday. The correct day is Sunday. We apologize for any confusion this error may have caused. A fall-themed outdoor event that's open to the public will take place at Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant this Sunday, Oct. 7. The first Braveheart Fall Festival promises fun for the whole family, according to Rebekah van Gieson, who has helped to organize it. Special permission for the event had to be obtained from state and local officials, because there will be outside beer service. Van Gieson said the day will begin with a traditional Irish breakfast that will be served from 9 to 11am, after which the party will move …

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Josh Popichak

8:35 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Thanks Marc. Sorry for the mistake. I've updated the story with a correction.   more ›

Braveheart's Scaled Back Outdoor Event Approved

The one-day event, which is now planned for Oct. 7, will be confined to the pub's parking lot, a representative told Hellertown Borough Council last week.

An outdoor fall festival proposed by Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant will take place in the business's parking lot but won't expand to include other downtown establishments--at least not this year, a representative for the business told Hellertown Borough Council Sept. 4. Rebekah Van Gieson told council that Braveheart recently obtained permission from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PCLB) "to serve and carry (alcoholic) beverages…on the premises." Although beer will be served outdoors, the event is intended to be family-friendly and liquor will only be served inside the building, she said. Referring to restrictions that will be in place to help prevent underage drinking, Van Gieson said "We’re going to have wristbands. …

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Local Pub Hopes to Host Outdoor Fall Event

A representative for Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant recently told Hellertown Borough Council that the afternoon event would be held in late September or October.

A local pub and restaurant wants to host an outdoor fall event in downtown Hellertown, but first it needs to win permission from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PCLB) and local officials. A representative for Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant, Rebekah Van Gieson, told Hellertown Borough Council Aug. 20 that the preferred date for the event is Sept. 30. Van Gieson also asked council whether it would be possible to close a one-block section of Main Street near Braveheart to help create a block party atmosphere. That idea was quickly shot down by council, who said it would be nearly impossible to get permission from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to close the busy street, which is also a state road. "Just …

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Patch Picks: Places to Watch the Olympics

If you're hoping to catch some Olympic action in an atmosphere that's a bit more social than your living room, you might want to check out these local watering holes with TVs.

Want to cheer on Team USA in a livelier setting than your living room? Then consider visiting one of the following local bars/pubs, where 2012 London Olympics action is sure to be broadcast over the next two weeks. Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant - Hellertown Beer Mussels Bar & Grille - Hellertown Starters Bar & Grille - Lower Saucon Township Do you know of another place in the Saucon Valley area to watch the Olympics? Tell us by posting a comment below.

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Tell Us: What Have You Eaten at Restaurant Week?

July 22-July 28 is the first-ever Saucon Valley Restaurant Week. Tell us where you've dined, what you've tried and what you would recommend to others. You can also upload photos of your favorite dishes!

To view Saucon Valley Restaurant week menus, visit the Borough of Hellertown website. The nine restaurants participating in the inaugural Saucon Valley Restaurant Week are: Sagra Bistro Braveheart Highland Pub The Original Tavern House DiMaio's Bella's Ristorante Cafe Erica McDonald's Hellertown Deli & Pita House Yianni's Taverna

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Viewfinder: St. Paddy's Day at Braveheart Highland Pub

The March 17 holiday was celebrated in style at Hellertown's Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant.

Irish and non-Irish alike flocked to Hellertown's Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant Saturday, where the St. Patrick's Day holiday was celebrated all day long. As the winner of Hellertown Patch's Readers' Choice poll for the best place to celebrate St. Paddy's Day, it was easy to see why. Owner Andy Lee said the special Irish breakfast the restaurant served beginning at 9am was a big hit with customers, with more than 70 of the meals prepared. At mid-afternoon, corned beef and cabbage and other Celtic culinary specialties were being brought out by wait staff, and bartenders were being kept busy. Of course, the drink du jour was beer (served up in a green plastic cup). The mild weather Saturday meant many patrons enjoyed their brews …

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Readers' Choice

Readers' Choice: Braveheart Named Best Place to Party on St. Paddy's

Judging from the results of our Readers' Choice poll, Braveheart Highland Pub is THE place to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Hellertown and Lower Saucon (and beyond)!

The results of our Readers' Choice poll are in, and Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant has been named the best place to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township! The Hellertown establishment received a whopping 93 percent of the vote. The runner-up in the Readers' Choice poll was Starters Bar & Grille in Lower Saucon Township, which received three percent of the total vote. In honor of St. Paddy's Day, Braveheart will host an all-day party Saturday featuring a variety of special offerings, including a traditional Irish breakfast ("Kegs & Eggs") at 9am, Guinness pints, Irish car bombs, Irish step dancers, a DJ, a live bagpipe player, and more. And Patch readers such as Mark Albright, who called it "a great …

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Bike Shop Owner Shares His Business Success Story

Saucon Valley Bikes founder and owner Steve LaBrake spoke to members of the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce at Braveheart Highland Pub on Jan. 26.

In spite of a sour economy, some local businesses have continued to thrive. On Jan. 26, the owner of one such business addressed members of the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce, with whom he shared his tips for success. During a luncheon presentation at Braveheart Highland Pub in Hellertown, Steve LaBrake, the founder and owner of Saucon Valley Bikes, emphasized the importance of having clear-cut sales incentives and goals for employees. "Money talks," he noted, explaining that he has consistently been able to increase sales by offering monthly bonuses to employees if the goals for that month are met. For example, he said one full-time bike shop employee took home approximately $3,000 in bonuses last year, as a result of having …

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